


Just This Once

by Hanzohara



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, OT3, Slice of Life, sorta angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 19:17:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16373483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanzohara/pseuds/Hanzohara
Summary: Really it should come as absolutely no surprise to anybody that Yukina is annoyed by the weather. It's only rained on their practice three weeks in a row, but maybe taking it out on her bandmates isn't the best idea.





	Just This Once

Those gods living up in their divine, celestial court really just had it out for Roselia didn’t they? Susanoo-no-Mikoto really just delighted in literally raining on their parade huh? Probably making the thunder from his incessant cackling up on those damnable dark clouds.

Two weeks ago, Yukina had scheduled for an evening Friday rehearsal a couple hours after classes would have ended. All throughout the day it had been fine, maybe not consistently sunny, but not overcast either, just sort of scattered clouds here and there. It had been fairly decent temperature too, cool enough to warrant a couple out of the band, Yukina included, stopping at their homes to pick up a sweater or something of the sort. They had rendezvoused at CiRCLE a little bit before practice was technically started, so they remained out at the cafe enjoying some warm drinks before practice began. And even still, the weather had not turned poorly. When the time finally came, they were able to get into the studio and begin practicing and all seemed fairly well.

Yet when break was called probably a good hour and a half into rehearsal because Yukina was feeling a bit more merciful than usual, they were met with an unfortunate surprise. It had gotten dark out with black clouds, and since the street lights weren’t coded to be on yet, the entire setting looked eerie beyond the lights of CiRCLE’s lamps. A quick glance to Marina and the other lady behind the counter gave them a dejected shake of the head and they had been told that it was coming down pretty hard. At least that meant that it would probably tire itself out by the time Roselia’s rehearsal concluded. With a slightly ( almost literally ) dampened mood, the girls had returned to practice hungry. And when the remaining hour and a half finally dragged its way by, everyone packing their things and eager to get home to eat something?

It was still coming down hard. They learned that night that sharing one umbrella among five girls was… not realistic, and it’s a damn miracle Sayo and Lisa’s guitars weren’t damaged by the rain.

The following week at least gives them ample warning. It’s forecast well in advance, and much to the dismay of the rest of Roselia, Yukina is adamant about holding practice that Saturday given that she had asked beforehand in an honestly clever manner if anyone was busy. She even had the audacity to make sure and update the itinerary for practice with required umbrellas and appropriate rain gear. Sayo and Lisa had left ahead of time to see if they could beat the rain and Lisa suggested combining umbrella coverage for the sake of their instruments. When they had arrived at CiRCLE and managed to get into the safety of the building, Marina had welcomed them in and offered them both towels, stating that they were the only band to be scheduled since around noon when it started raining. While she did commend them for their work ethic, she really tried to get them to go home while the rain was still building up. Though to Lisa's dismay, Sayo quickly turned down the request and in return asked for the keys so they could set up.

As expected, Yukina turned up pretty quickly after them with a dark look in her eyes as she had approached them, the umbrella wrapped in her hand looking more and more like a weapon. Just before she could give them a stern talking to about leaving ahead of her, Rinko quickly entered in and joined them, followed by Ako and her sister a while later. Only for a few seconds though, as Ako turned to Tomoe, offering a big grin and a well reciprocated bear hug before turning and dashing over to the other girls as Tomoe turned to leave with the umbrella.

Practice went by almost as slowly as the week prior, although this time the poor mood in the room seemed to affect the band’s sound. Yukina and Ako were probably the most on point the entire practice, and the vocalist noticed very early on. Clearly frustrated, Yukina called for the band’s break even earlier, only an hour into practice. While she went out into the lobby, probably to get some fresh air and check on the weather, Sayo took to stewing in her bad mood in the corner, close enough to the wall that she can lean on it, and feel the vibrations of the sudden rumble of thunder outside.

Yeah, the rain certainly wasn’t stopping any time soon. Maybe they should have taken Marina’s advice, in spite of Yukina’s certain wrath at doing so.

...and where were they now, this week’s Saturday afternoon? Finally remaining at home. Lisa was presumably making cookies or something else to block out the sound of insistent pitter-patter against the windows. Yukina, ever the perfectionist, was likely using the family’s personal studio room to further practice her singing, and Sayo was no better off with her guitar. Rinko and Ako were probably at their respective homes, playing that online game they were so fond of…

Oh wait. No.

Rinko and Ako? Sayo couldn’t really say, they had taken off the moment rehearsal had been called off, and with the Udagawa household within a decent distance from CiRCLE they probably both went to see refuge out there until the storm blew over. Sayo, Lisa and Yukina however? They were nowhere near as lucky.

Lisa and Yukina, being next door neighbors, were both equally far away from the studio, and the Hikawa household, albeit closer to the studio, is still not within walking distance, so here they are, damp because even though they have umbrellas the safety of their instruments comes first, standing at the exit of the station eyeing the slowly growing downpour with disdain.

“If we take some of the back roads, we may be able to make it to my house drier than we would on the straight shot.”

Lisa, ever the optimist, offers a bright smile in response, nodding enthusiastically and nudging Yukina to her left.

“Hey, that’s pretty good, huh Yukina? That way we can make sure our instruments are safer, so they can’t affect our next practice, yeah?”

“I suppose so.”

Clipped response and an overall uninterested tone clearly has an affect on Lisa, if the flicker in her smile is any hint, and Sayo feels her eyes narrow at the sight. Yukina is very obviously in a bad mood after having been all but forced to cancel practice by Marina’s ultimatum. While Sayo did sympathize with Yukina in that she too really did want to practice her father’s song, constantly coming out in shitty weather was having an effect on the band’s morale. And frankly, while she’s thinking about it, Yukina isn’t doing much to boost the morale in between the three of them with how short she’s been with the both of them these past few weeks. It definitely something she’ll bring up later, once they’re in the safety and dryness of her home. For now though, there’s still the problem of needing to actually get there, and with the rain being as it is, she has a feeling it’ll only get worse if they try to wait for a break.

“Alright then, on three?”

Lisa nods, taking a hold of her guitar bag strap with the free hand and tightening her grip on her umbrella with the other. Yukina grips her umbrella handle with both hands, though there is little change in her expression beyond a blank glance to the side at Sayo, and then back again to the front.

“1… 2… 3!”

And they’re off… at least two of them are. Lisa and Sayo are dashing forward on the count, both their umbrellas flailing about in their grip as they struggle to simultaneously get to Sayo’s as fast as they can, while also trying not to jostle their instrument bags so much they loosen and water seeps in or worse, they get damaged. Both slow to a stop as only two sets of footfalls splash into the forming puddles. Yukina is trailing behind at a leisurely pace, boots getting a fair bit of the rainfall as her umbrella is angled back against her shoulder, only really covering her back half well. Were Sayo less wise than she was, she may have called out Yukina’s behavior for being childish, but that would do none of the three any favors, and may yet result in Yukina storming away in anger, and that would no doubt get on Lisa’s nerves for speaking to her childhood friend that way. And then they would spend the rest of the evening trying to find someone who didn’t want to be found. What was the entire culmination of this action, at least in Sayo’s mind?

The foundation of their relationship would just blink out of existence like that. Or maybe it would just cause an irreparable crack.

It takes them at least a half hour to make it back, and when they do, Sayo’s hands are cold enough that she drops the keys and has to awkwardly bend down to get them without hitting her umbrella or guitar bag on the door. When the umbrellas are closed and they’re finally inside, Sayo gives a huff of relief, quickly toeing off her shoes and all but tossing the umbrella into closet to the side of the genkan. For all her dedication to the detached exterior Yukina had been maintaining the way back, even she appears slightly more pleased to be out of the rain, respectfully placing her umbrella next to Sayo’s and taking her own shoes off. Lisa’s quick to follow quickly throwing out a thanks to Sayo for allowing them to stay.

“It’s nothing really, no skin off my back. If you were going to be troublesome, I wouldn’t have invited you in.”

“Haha~ I suppose that’s fair. I guess we’ll be here for awhile though… that rain isn’t doin’ us any favors huh? What do you wanna do?”

“You two can go upstairs and take showers if you like. Hina is out with her band mates, and I don’t think she’s getting back until later. I can’t imagine either of you are very warm after that rain. I can prepare us some tea or coffee?”

To this, Yukina finally speaks up, giving the firmest motion she’s done all day, a quick nod. “I will be showering. I will take a coffee Sayo.” She makes to head for the stairwell before hesitating and turning over her shoulder. “Thank you.” And with that, she’s disappeared up the stairs.

Sayo and Lisa look up after her as far as they can before collectively sighing.

“She won’t be done for a little while… maybe I can help out? If you’re hungry, I know I kinda’ am, so maybe we can make something quick?.”

Ah, ever the intermediary. Sayo can’t say she doesn’t appreciate it, because while Sayo really does love Yukina from the bottom of her heart, she can be such a wall to butt heads with when they don’t see eye to eye. She sometimes really envies the way Lisa can diffuse problems, especially with how in tune she is with Yukina, but she supposes that just comes from having spent all of her childhood around the other girl. At any rate, it certainly does help ease her roiling thoughts and eases them away from the negative. Cooking, or if she’s lucky baking, will definitely help clear her mind so she’s all too quick to take up Lisa’s offer.

“I think that’d be good. Mom and Dad may have picked up some of the prepackaged cookie dough…” The purse of Lisa’s lips is telling enough what she thinks. “I know it’s not as good as homemade, but it’s the best we’re gonna get, and it’ll be quicker that way.”

Sayo’s already padding toward the kitchen before Lisa can refute the decision, and seconds later she can hear footfalls as Lisa catches up to her, entering the kitchen side by side. Offhandedly, Sayo can hear the telltale sound of water rushing through the pipes as, presumably, Yukina starts up the shower. While Sayo gets to starting up the tea and the coffee machine, Lisa beelines for the fridge, pulling it open and gazing intently at what there is to choose from. She quietly hums as she begins to rummage through the drawers, and Sayo steals a glance her way just as she pulls out exactly what Sayo had mentioned, a block of the dough good for around eighteen cookies provided nobody ate any of the dough.

The sound of the wrapper tearing draws Sayo’s attention after a few seconds, and she furtively glances out in the direction of the island. There they were, a couple squares already broken off to be placed on the baking sheet… and there Lisa was… on the other end of the kitchen, too busy looking through the drawers and cabinets to find the trash can…

She’s got to be quick, because Lisa will catch on very quickly if she suspects anything, but she’ll be looking for awhile since she’s going clockwise around the cabinets and the trash can is on that left cabinet to the one she started on. As quiet as she can, she slides over to the island reaching out for the cookie dough…

“Sayo!”

That was unfortunately quick, and it shocks her into action, tearing away one of the squares of dough. Lisa smacks her hand but it isn’t quite enough to knock it from her grip, and she hastily shoves the dough into her mouth. Lisa gives her an incredulous look and narrows her eyes, crossing her arms as she meets Sayo’s wide stare. But it isn’t enough to make her stop, and she pleasantly chews on the dough until she swallows it and gives Lisa a knowing smile.

“Unbelievable. You know, you should feel lucky these aren’t my cookies or I’d definitely ban you from eating them.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I would, don’t you try me. Now get back to making that coffee for Yukina, you know she’s gonna need it if we’re ever going to get her to talk about stuff.”

With an affirmative hum Sayo turns back toward the coffee machine and begins getting the water and grounds prepared. Prematurely, she gets out the sugar and creamer, simply setting them off to the side for when Yukina comes down. Behind her, it sounds like Lisa has placed all the cookies on the sheets and is just waiting for that oven to heat up. She goes back to humming that song, giving Sayo a long look before she turns away to try and find the trash bin again. After a moment or two of trying to place it, Sayo begins to hum in tune, and they pass the time idly like that until the oven beeps shortly before the coffee machine does. While Lisa makes to lift the first tray of cookies, Sayo goes about pouring a tall glass of coffee, leaving enough room for at least a couple spoonfuls of sugar and creamer that she knows Yukina will use.

With the first sheet in, Lisa returns to the island idly drumming her joints against the marble countertop. There’s little else to do except wait for the eleven minutes to pass so the second sheet can be put in, and having prepared the coffee there’s only the tea, water still heating over that shitty stove the house has, Sayo quietly makes her way to stand behind Lisa, gently bringing her arms around the other girl’s arms and chest. She gets a soft chuckle in response, and can feel the way Lisa leans back into her, tilting her head slightly.

“Affectionate aren’t you?” Dull green eyes narrow in mock suspicion ( not really mock, she gets a feeling she knows what Sayo is doing ). “What are you trying to get?”

Sayo chuckles something low, nuzzling into the back of her neck, inhaling the deep smell of rain against her hair mixed in with… she wants to say mint, but that was probably shampoo or conditioner from early this morning and it’s pretty faded by now. Lisa isn’t wrong, and while she does intend to snag another square of dough to even out the missing one from the first batch, she can take this moment to genuinely give one of her girlfriends a bit of love. She doesn’t need to lean too far down to rest her chin over the other girl’s shoulder and when she does she tightens the grip with one of her arms, resting a firm hand over Lisa’s opposing arm. The other arm around her comes loose, reaching for one of the dough squares on the sheet.

“Uh-huh, I knew it.” Even so, beyond a scoff, Lisa doesn’t resist, instead simply shaking her head and chuckling as Sayo eats yet another piece of raw dough.

Upstairs it sounds as though the shower has stopped, and she can’t tell for how long, so Sayo assumes Yukina will be down shortly.

“Do you want to take the next shower?”

“Aha, and risk you snagging away even more of the cookies? I think I’ll let you shower, Sayo~” There’s a teasing tone to her voice, and Sayo smiles a small, fond thing as she unlatches herself from Lisa to go deal with the tea. Before she can though, Lisa whirls ‘round and places a hand on her shoulder. Leaning up, she places a quick kiss to her cheek before letting Sayo return, a light dusting of red on her cheeks in response.

As expected, the telltale sign of Yukina’s arrival: soft footfalls on creaky stairs comes soon after, and Sayo lightly taps a spoon to the coffee cup before looking to Yukina, pale lavender hair straight and wet against a towel she has around her shoulders. While Yukina walks over to begin adding a respectable amount of sugar to her coffee, Sayo gives one last look to Lisa before giving Yukina a gentle squeeze to the shoulder and setting off to take her own shower,

“There’s more sugar in the cabinet to the left if you run out.”

Yukina only offers a hum in response, looking to Lisa as Sayo leaves for the shower upstairs.

“I expect Sayo is the reason there is a missing corner on that sheet?”

“Yeah, haha… I tried to stop her but you know how she is with sweets and all…”

A noncommittal grunt is all the answer she gets, and Yukina turns away to the tea kettle that’s beginning to cry something shrill. Finally ready it seems, now that Sayo is upstairs. Going well out of her way to take a sip and then some while staring pointedly at the steaming kettle, Yukina audibly takes her last before setting the cup down and moving the tea from the stovetop.

At least Sayo had the foresight to prepare the powder into both her own cup as well as Lisa’s. She had even remembered to split the powder among two different varieties that weren’t green in color, just to be safe. It was a sweet gesture, even though Lisa told her every time that green tea wasn’t a problem, it was just those lime toned smoothies and the like, the kind that damn near made her turn green when she tried them. Above them, the sound of water has become something of a background noise, so Sayo must be in the shower. That works out fine, Lisa muses. By the time she’s out the cookies she’s in the midst of pulling out will be cooled off enough that Sayo won’t hurt herself when she inevitably goes to snag another one.

When the next sheet of cookies is placed in the oven and set to time, Lisa quietly strolls over to stand beside Yukina, idly stirring the tea mixture with the water she’s generously poured her. There’s relative silence as the two stand side by side, Yukina focusing on what remains of her coffee, and Lisa debating internally whether she should try and prod Yukina about, or if she should wait for Sayo so the three of them could talk it over.

“...Are you really that mad with us?”

Yukina pauses, setting her coffee down to the side and heaving a sigh.

“Not mad… just annoyed. There’s no reason we couldn’t have stayed an hour or so to rehearse while we waited for the rain to subside.”

Lisa rolls her eyes at this despite the knowing smile on her face. She’s known Yukina for years upon years, and this sort of answer was expected. Singing is all Yukina had for a long time, and she’s voiced as much to Lisa innumerable times over the years. She can’t really argue with Yukina about it, knowing how passionate she is about it, and knowing well she’s never been the particularly outspoken one of the three. No, when it came to butting heads and attempting to push some sense on Yukina, Sayo was much better in that department. But Lisa was far better at diffusing her initial annoyance, so that when they eventually did butt heads, it wasn’t with catastrophic results.

“I suppose we could have… can’t really say it would have been good though, at least for me. With how tired we usually get after rehearsals? I woulda’ seriously worried for my bass, I dunno if I could have kept my bass dry…”

Yukina scoffs at that. “If you’re getting tired at rehearsal, you should be doing more outside of it to get used to it.”

It stings for sure and only reinforces what Lisa thinks herself, but it’s not Yukina’s intention to be hurtful, so Lisa bears it with a small smile. “Ah, don’t be like that! You said yourself I was improving… or was I really?”

Visibly Yukina hesitates at whatever snarky response she was going to say because she knows it’s true. She did say it when last they practiced while waiting for the rain to peter off. Yukina huffs and nods, though Lisa can see the veritable stormcloud stewing in her head, at herself no doubt.

“I… you know I meant it Lisa… You’re doing just fine in rehearsal.” Her shoulders raise shakily as she exhales deeply, raising her free hand to her head and pressing it against her forehead. “I’m just being unreasonable, right?”

“Well I mean… when you put it like that…”

But Lisa doesn’t quite finish, Sayo clears her throat from across the way, teal hair still shining with water as it hangs over her left shoulder. There’s a large damp spot in the shirt she’s thrown on where her hair comes to rest at, and Lisa’s pretty sure there’s going to be a similarly wet line following the rest of her ponytail. Yukina eyes Sayo intently, a tense sort of standoff that Lisa feels worried for until Yukina turns, taking up the cup of tea that Sayo had prepared for herself, and strides over to give to Sayo.

“You took a little shorter than expected, so your tea is still quite warm.”

Tense standoff remains for a second longer before Sayo nods curtly and takes the cup.

“I appreciate it.”

And then both turn their attention to Lisa, Yukina speaking up first.

“You may go take your shower now. We will keep things going down here.”

Yukina then returns to the stove so she can grab the kettle and go through with washing it down in cold water. Sayo walks across the way, as expected taking one of the cooling cookies and taking a bite from it before checking through the glass on the baking cookies.

“Actually, when you’re done with your shower, we should be done as well. Meet us in my room.”

Yukina gives Sayo a quiet quirk of the brow, but otherwise remains quiet as she runs cool water over the kettle and sets it to the side. Lisa, after some quiet deliberation. gives in to bidding them both farewell for the moment, and turning to jog up the stairs. As soon as she’s out of sight, Yukina turns on heel to regard Sayo and finds that Sayo is already looking to her in expectation. Well. That certainly makes things easier, not needing to bridge the awkward gap of making sure the two of them were on the same page.

“I can say I expected this from Lisa, but from you?”

Sayo’s arms cross in a manner Yukina has come to recognize as defensive, and she raises her head a little higher in indignation.

“We’ve done nothing wrong Yukina. If anything, it was the right choice. You know well how poorly Rinko’s immune system can get during this season: it’s already happened once, and you said it yourself that it’s better to miss one day to avoid getting sick than being forced to miss upwards of a week because of illness.”

“Yes.” Despite her words, Yukina’s voice is flat and her gaze still piercing. “But there was little reason to cancel all of this rehearsal with the performance only weeks away. The rest of us could have easily continued for our allotted time.”

Sayo pauses, turning to face her proper rather than from the side, and remains quiet. They return to their earlier standoff as the sound of rushing water sounds above them for the last time. To an extent, Sayo agrees. Sure, a part of her believes they should have stayed because any sort of practice was better than none, but looking on it now, with the added knowledge of what it was like out there now? She doesn’t condemn the choice they made. She sympathizes with Yukina to an extent, but the reason she gave Sayo was one she couldn’t get on board with.

“You say that as though we really needed the practice time. Do you think we’re that far below expectation?”

Ah, this sort of accusation for the second time today? Yukina’s eyes twitch, and her hands ball into fists. She doesn’t mean for it to across this way, because all things considered? They are performing her father’s song astoundingly. They haven’t had the most time in the world to grow accustomed to it, but Roselia is succeeding. Admittedly yes, there are some parts that could use touch ups, but with the show in almost three weeks? There was no doubt they would have the wrinkles in the song ironed out.

Sayo’s fingers moved quick as it was, she would get down what was left with ease, Yukina knew. Ako was excited, with it being the first proper cover song so to speak, and she had droned on and on about how the dark forces would ensure she played with precision. Yukina didn’t believe a word of that supernatural garbage, but she certainly had been playing to back up her words. Rinko, she had little worry about if she set aside the confidence issue. Her playing was nothing to worry about, it was just her stage presence they needed to boost and it was a slow process breaking her from that shell, but it was happening. Lisa was improving slowly, but both Yukina and Sayo could attest to how much she was working on it, both in and out of practice.

She’s neglected speaking for a few moments, all clenched fists and teeth and dark countenance, and Sayo seems to take that as her answer, sighing and turning as the oven abruptly begins to signal the second batch of cookies are done. Yukina remains motionless, watching Sayo as she slides on the mitts Lisa had been using earlier to take the tray out, setting it over one of the trivets. Then she begins to slide the other set of cookies onto a plate, presumably to take up the stairs to her room when they inevitably do. But the thought of going up there has Yukina feeling a little sick, especially with what she’s heard from both Sayo and Lisa. Not that she can truly say she disagrees… she just being unreasonable. Of course.

As usual. Just asking far too much of them to try and mask her own anxieties.

Her shoulders sag in spite of herself, and her eyes fall away from Sayo, landing on the dated tiles of the kitchen floor. Maybe she should have taken a step back to think about it, instead of holding it against the others. Instead of just writing it off as them not caring about the song as much as Yukina herself did.

Suddenly there are another pair of feet on the tiles in front of her own, and there are tentative, shaky hands coming to gently rest on her shoulders, as though they are ready to steal away at a moments notice. Dull bronze raises to meet Sayo’s forest green, and she can’t help the sigh that expels from her lips.

“Talk to me Yukina. You can’t tell me you don’t see the way Lisa and I are both worried. You know damn well I almost always agree with you when you say we should be practicing more. Lisa teases us about it to no end. What is it that has you so on edge?”

Yukina’s never had a problem saying what it was she thought, she had always spoken out strongly regarding her ideals. She was a singer, she had always said, it was what she trained and did. But now it’s like her voice is failing her, and gods does she hate it. The nails from her fingers dig into her palm as her clenched fists draw even tighter, and her throat tightens with words she wants to say but won’t come out. Hands at her shoulders dig in, a meanings to an end to distract her, and it works enough to make her focus as they slide around her shoulders and draw her in against Sayo’s chest.

“Come on… let’s get upstairs so Lisa doesn’t beat us there. We can talk when we’re all settled, okay?”

Gods, she’s so pathetic right now, isn’t she? She can’t even muster up her voice to reaffirm this, offering only a shaky nod as Sayo steps back, releasing Yukina so she can place the cookies on the plate. The three empty cups are scattered around the kitchen and really, Sayo doesn’t see it as a big problem; she can just round them up and clean them later when everyone has left so she hefts the plate of cookies up into one hand and turns toward Yukina. She offers her free hand out to Yukina, who in turn stares at it for a few seconds before taking it.

They stop only for a second, part hands so that Sayo can open her door and flip to the sign she has pinned up from the blank slate to the side that states in no uncertain bold text [ PRACTICING ]. Not that it’s really needed because Hina isn’t home, and even if she was, she barely ever heeds it unless she can blatantly here the guitar strumming, but you can’t say she didn’t try. Once they’re inside, Yukina stands dumbly in the center of the room focusing very heavily on the feel of carpet on the soles of her feet as Sayo goes about dragging a bedside table closer to the bed.

She’s snapped from her reverie when bedsprings give a sharp squeak, Sayo sitting on it’s edge only to scoot herself closer toward the headboard. When she’s sat up against it, knees drawn up slightly, she looks to Yukina and awkwardly pats the bed in invitation.

Yukina hesitates, if only for show, before padding her way to the bed and gracelessly crawling between Sayo’s legs. Her hair is swept over her shoulder because Sayo’s hair is doing a good job of getting her shirt wet, she really doesn’t need Yukina’s hair helping that, and maybe the towel she has around her shoulders will help. She’s ramrod straight for a while, only in contact with Sayo’s legs that offer themselves as almost an armrest with the way the guitarist has them at her sides. Behind her, she can hear Sayo snag one of the fresher cookies from the plate, the ones that don’t quite crumble when she bites into them. Intentional, no doubt. That way crumbs didn’t trickle down onto her bed. Down into Yukina’s hair when she inevitably leaned back.

And that’s precisely what Yukina did. It wasn’t quite a sitting position at this point, it was more her slouching back with her head against Sayo’s chest, low enough that she couldn’t quite rest her head over Yukina’s pale lavender hair. On the other hand, Yukina also wouldn’t feel Sayo’s jaw rise and fall with each bite of the cookie, so that was at least a plus. The free hand, Sayo’s right one, winds its way around her the side of her waist, resting over her thigh.

Still though, she doesn’t ask anything of Yukina, only gives her a comfortable silence until there’s the sound of rattling at the doorknob. In comes Lisa with her hair uncharacteristically straight from how damp it is, dull green coming to rest on the two on the bed, fondness setting its way over her face. Giving her hair one last squeeze into the towel, she hangs it over the top of Sayo’s desk chair before making her way over to the other two. She pauses to grab one of the cookies, holding it between her teeth as she climbs onto the bed and stumbles her way over to them on her knees. With almost as little grace as Yukina had, and certainly none of the shame, she all but topples over onto Yukina’s lap.

Her stomach is flat on the bed, needing to raise her feet just a bit so it can rest on the top of the footboard. One arm manages to worm its way around Yukina’s waist, also her right one so that it rests around the left side of Yukina’s waist while Sayo’s remains at her right, and the cookie between her teeth is held on with her left, a sizable bite missing from it. And of course, as expected, Lisa doesn’t say anything either, only watches her carefully with fondness still bright in her eyes. It’s a gaze Yukina can’t meet yet, not while she’s still organizing her thoughts, and she instead looks up to her surroundings.

It’s not as though she hasn’t been in Sayo’s room before, but it almost seems like she changes it after every time the two of them, or even one or the other comes over. Last time, Yukina remembers the desk having been over at that wall but now it was over near the door? An odd choice, but who was she to decide what was better or more favorable to Sayo? Ah, but she gets what she believes is the answer when she looks back to that other wall, and sees the outlet that was once used for laptop and lamp now with only one cord. A cord that isn’t in use now, but leads to a partly hidden amp beneath her bed… and it kind of looks like several other pedals that she has, frankly, no idea what they do along that wall as well.

...to think that even knowing she’s been using all of this in her free time, probably moved her room around so she could practice at her bed easily, and Sayo had still asked if Yukina thought they were under performing. Her fist squeezes again at the thought, and she can feel one of the other two’s hands fall over it gently, rubbing a thumb to the top of her hand.

Then she looks a little more to the side, seeing twin black cases blending into one another and feels another pang of guilt. Even from here, she can see the way both guitar bags were slightly damp, and she heaves a defining sigh. Better late than never, Lisa liked to say.

“I guess…” She tilts her head, falling back against Sayo’s chest in an almost defeated manner. As though her finally deciding to talk about her feelings is something terrible. “I guess I’m just stressed about the song.”

Behind her, she can feel Sayo scoff, and below her she can assume Lisa gives Sayo a stern look for the reaction. Not entirely unwarranted, with how in tune Sayo is with Yukina in regard to here determination with the band, it shouldn’t come as a surprise Sayo could point to the song in particular as the reason for her mood.

“What is it about the song that’s making you feel like this?” Lisa’s speaking up, and her tired gaze falls to her face. “Like, in all seriousness, do you think we’re under performing or that we won’t master it in time? Be honest with us.”

“No, no!” Now that she’s found her voice, Yukina is very quick to refute the statement, and she can feel Sayo relax behind her now that she’s finally put that worry to bed. “I… no that’s not it at all. Everyone is playing well, getting used to the song and then some.”

“So what is it?” Sayo this time, voice soft and vibrating lightly against the top of her chest and the back of Yukina’s head. “Is it because it’s not necessarily an original, but your father’s song? Do you think… I don’t know... that you aren’t worthy of playing it?”

How… stunningly on point. Usually it would be Lisa that gets this close to dead center when it comes to Yukina’s problems, but when she thinks about it, who better than Sayo to understand a problem that, at its base, is regarding inferiority. Sayo, who has a sister that can master anything in a matter of hours and doesn’t even have to think about it. Sayo, who’s sister took up guitar the same as her, who joined a band the same as her and manages to do it better, in her eyes. Sayo, who tries to use and master multiple different pedals she’ll likely never use in an effort to make her playing stand out, to make her sound unique; who also probably worries that the minute Pastel*Palettes needs a distortion pedal, Hina will be given it for free and be able to use it in one day better than she ever could in the weeks she’s been training.

Before she can answer, she hears Lisa’s voice below her, and it sounds… dejected? Not near as cheery as she usually is in front of the two of them.

“I know I feel it sometimes, haha... especially since you told us how important this song was to you…” Lisa’s gaze falls away, to the side, and her lips drag down into a frown. “Every time I make a mistake, even the small ones you don’t bother going over at the end of practice, it really makes me wonder if I should be the bassist playing for your father’s song. And… maybe that’s selfish of me to think, because the song itself isn’t nearly as important to me as it is to you... but at least it does put into perspective for me how much it weighs on you.”

For a moment, Yukina is shocked into silence by the confession and her body goes rigid. It comes to mind that she was being selfish with her emotions, selfish about her thoughts. So focused on trying to make it perfect for her own feeling, she had rushed forward headlong with so little regard to the others’ feelings.

So much so that the two closest to her, the two that meant more to her than anything ( yes even singing ), the two who had stayed with her since the very earliest days of the band had begun hurting because of it. To say nothing of how Ako and Rinko probably felt with her attitude, especially after being so adamant in the beginning that the song was far above the bands level…

Right hand clenches around Sayo’s, nails unintentionally digging into her knuckles as her head falls forward. Her hair curtains around her face, and her left hand rests weakly on Lisa’s shoulder. Her breathing is shaky at best now, and her chest clenches painfully as she holds back a quiet sob.

“I just… I’m just being unreasonable, right… I’ve heard it from both you and my father, Lisa. Just sing it?” The hand her right one rests on turns over, and Sayo lightly interlocks their fingers, squeezing her softly. In the same light, the arm Lisa has around her draws her in, and Lisa has sat up on her free arm, so she can press her forehead to Yukina’s. “I’m just…. I don’t know.”

She says at last, and her shoulders fall under the weight of the confession. It’s not even a good one, honestly, because there’s so much she means to say, but all she can manage out is ‘I don’t know.’

It seems to be enough though, and both Lisa and Sayo move at once. Lisa’s arm unwinds from her waist, raising so she can brush away Yukina’s bangs, resting them on her fingers as she looks to Yukina’s eyes. Sayo leans forward, a warm, solid presence firmly against her back as she rests her chin over one of Yukina’s shoulders. Lisa’s voice is soft, and she’s almost able to feel her lips moving against her own as she looks up to her.

“You’ve been tearing yourself up over this for awhile now, haven’t you? Even though you ended up deciding we would perform it? Do you regret it?”

Yukina considers that for a moment. Did she? No, not in the least because after having watched that video of her father’s song so many times, it’s refreshing to hear it played in their style. But sure, there are some nights where she really wants to text to the group to just forget it, they can just play BLACK SHOUT instead and end on something they know.

“No, it doesn’t matter.” Sayo speaks up suddenly, and Yukina jolts from the intensity of her voice. “Regret it or not, we’ve decided that we’re going to play it. With how much time we’ve all put toward it, it would be nothing but a waste to quit at it.”

They're stern words, not unlike ones a mother would scold a child with, but in a way it’s refreshing. Lisa doesn’t talk to her in such a way, tries to find some middle ground that won’t sound outwardly offensive, and indeed, she can see Lisa’s dull green eyes flick to the side toward the shoulder Sayo rests on, as though to give her a sharp look. Yukina’s sigh is enough to get her attention back, and her eyes are once again on Yukina’s gold ones, staring intently.

“You’re right. Not that I had any intention of backing down from my word but… yes, I shouldn’t be thinking so lowly anyway… we said we’re going through with it, and we will.”

Lisa smiles in front of her, something soft and fond, and Yukina’s gaze quickly falls away because damn, it’s just far too sweet for her given how she’s acted all day. “And we’ll do it great Yukina. We have you to lead us there, and we’ll support you if you stumble.” Behind her, she can feel the affirmative hum from Sayo as well, and while it doesn’t do much, it gives her enough ease to look back to Lisa.

“Buuuuuut~!” And then Lisa gives her a gentle kiss, just a soft press to her lips before she slides back down to rest her head on Yukina's lap, and her arm once again comfortable around Yukina’s waist. “I think Sayo and I can both agree that we’ve talked about the band and all the troubles for far too long!”

Yukina’s brow furrows and, while she’s still disheartened from the prior conversation, it’s more confusion that’s in her mind. Lisa is giving her a devious sort of look that sets her on edge because she only really gets that look when she’s planning something. More often than not, something that involves any combination of the three of them taking a break from arguably more important stuff. Almost on instinct, she shifts to try and create distance, but she hears a displeased grunt to her immediate left, the side Sayo rests her head on, and her arms ( both arms now, she must have either finished that cookie or set it down at some point ) have raised to just below her chest, and tighten to the point where she can’t wiggle away.

“Sayo!?” It isn’t like Sayo to go along with Lisa’s shenanigans often unless it’s really necessary, preferring to claim that she would rather spend every waking minute of free time practicing.

“You said yourself: if morale was going to be as low as it was before rehearsal, there was no reason to do anything, and to go just cut the day off before it started pouring too hard.” She can almost hear the small smile in her voice. “I’m just doing as you told us to do.”

Yukina’s eyes narrow at this, and she doesn’t miss the way Lisa buries her face into her shirt to stifle her giggles at the response. She can tell early on this isn’t something she’s going to win, and she chews on her lip for a moment, considering her options before huffing out a sigh. More for show to be honest, because there’s no way she’ll be able to walk home safely in the rain, and all things considered, it’s much nicer to spend time nestled comfortable in between Lisa and Sayo than it is to spend time in her room, likely singing or brooding or both. Or maybe even neither.

Not that she’d ever say that of course.

...as if they didn’t already know it.

Instead, she slumps back into Sayo’s chest, one hand gently coming up to rest in Lisa’s still-damp hair. Surely she can indulge in a little bit of selfishness every now and again, and she practically being held captive here, there’s no other choice. It’s a poor way of rationalizing it, but it's enough to bring a small quirk of her lips. Her hand threads through Lisa’s orange-brown lock, running through them fondly and relishing in the pleased sound rumbling in her throat. And, of course, in the way she can feel Lisa’s lips press to her stomach through the shirt she has on. To her immediate left, strands of gorgeous teal hair spill over her shoulder and Sayo presses a soft kiss to Yukina’s cheek before returning back, just enough that she can nuzzle into Yukina’s neck and continue pressing innocent kisses to the join of her neck and shoulder, just above the hem of her shirt. Her hand comes to rest at Lisa’s nape, gently running her nails along the back of her head, and her own head tilts to the side to lean more predominantly on Sayo’s right shoulder.

...yes, surely there could be no harm from indulging in her girlfriends, just this once of course.

**Author's Note:**

> So,,, this was written for my dear friend Ren bc I needed to write something in between chapters of my other fic. I told myself it was gonna be a short one and well...... yeah look where we at now. Anyway ilu ren and I hope you enjoyed it.


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